From The National Post
University to Ann Coulter: Please watch your mouth
Ottawa Appearance
Adam McDowell, National Post, With Files From Canwest News Service Published: Monday, March 22, 2010
Before right-wing U.S. pundit Ann Coulter even set a stilettoed foot on this side of the border for a trio of speaking engagements this week, she managed to make a few Canadians nervous.
Ms. Coulter catapulted to international notoriety two days after the 9/11 attacks with a column in the National Review in which she advocated conquering Muslim countries and converting the people to Christianity. But as the columnist prepares to visit Canada this week to speak at three universities, a senior University of Ottawa administrator has warned her to use “restraint, respect and consideration” when speaking at the school.
Francois Houle, vice-president academic and provost, advises Ms. Coulter, who holds a law degree, to review Canada’s hate speech and defamation laws before giving her talk at the university.
In an email sent to Ms. Coulter on Friday, a copy of which has been obtained by the National Post, Mr. Houle wrote: “Our domestic laws, both provincial and federal, delineate freedom of expression (or “free speech”) in a manner that is somewhat different than the approach taken in the United States. I therefore encourage you to educate yourself, if need be, as to what is acceptable in Canada and to do so before your planned visit here.”
He continued, “Promoting hatred against any identifiable group would not only be considered inappropriate, but could in fact lead to criminal charges.”
After also mentioning defamation law, the provost wrote, “I therefore ask you, while you are a guest on our campus, to weigh your words with respect and civility in mind.”
Neither Ms. Coulter nor Mr. Houle was available for comment yesterday.
The columnist will speak at the University of Western Ontario in London today, followed by the University of Ottawa tomorrow and the University of Calgary on Wednesday.
In Ottawa, the president of the student federation barred a volunteer organizer from putting up posters advertising the upcoming appearance.
“The federation does not support Ann Coulter speaking on our campus,” said student president Seamus Wolfe. “We’re trying to work with the administration to see if we can ask her to do her speaking event somewhere else.”
He said the federation controls which posters can be placed inside the University Centre building, while administration officials approve posters at other university buildings. A university spokesperson said the administration did not object to Ms. Coulter’s talk being advertised.
In London, local activist Megan Walker provoked an angry response from conservative sponsors of the pundit’s talk after the London Free Press reported that she called Ms. Coulter a “venomous” person who “crosses the line and promotes hatred and violence.”
Ms. Coulter has spoken less than respectfully about Canada itself in the past.
“They’d better hope the United States doesn’t roll over one night and crush them. They are lucky we allow them to exist on the same continent,” she once said during a television debate.
During the same program, when asked why she felt the need to ridicule Canadians, the columnist said, “because they speak French.” (The University of Ottawa is a bilingual institution.)
She did, however, reserve a kind word for Western Canada, calling it the “good part” for its conservatives and cowboys.